Petrol BMW 3 Series: MOT pass rate
76.8% of petrol BMW 3 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 132,188 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 97,568.
Petrol against the other BMW 3 Series versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 77.6% | 240,857 |
| Petrol | 76.8% | 132,188 |
| Hybrid | 85.2% | 3,746 |
| All BMW 3 Series | 77.4% | 376,844 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.
On the BMW 3 Series specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 85.2%, and this petrol version sits 0.6 points below the 77.4% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average petrol BMW 3 Series had covered 97,568 miles at test, against 116,477 for the diesel and 79,365 for the hybrid. That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the BMW 3 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other BMW 3 Series fuel types
- Diesel BMW 3 Series - 77.6%
- Hybrid BMW 3 Series - 85.2%